Which former franchises would you bring back?

[thenorthern]

If you were the Secretary of State for Transport or a civil servant which former franchises would you choose to bring back? I am more interested in franchises that you thought worked well rather than what the operators were like.

I personally think a single Midlands Franchise should be brought back covering both the East and West Midlands like in the Central Trains days as I think the current system has meant that a lot of services have been split, there are many route outliers and merging intercity and semi-local services on both East Midlands Trains and CrossCountry hasn't worked that well.

What other franchises would you bring back?

 

[xotGD]

I would reintroduce a single franchise covering the entire network. If my memory is correct it used to be called either British Rail or British Railways.

Worked a heck of a lot better than the current dog's breakfast.

 

[Aictos]

Well I would do one of three things...

1. Have a unified brand for InterCity but have it say operated by xxxxx with InterCity being split into
East Coast, West Coast, Cross Country and Great Western.

The same would apply to Regional Railways and NSE so instead of repainting every 5 years, there is a base livery which stays the same regardless much like Scotland does.

2. Have three sectors as in InterCity, Regional Railways and NSE then franchise them as they are to successful bidders for a long franchise ie 20 years so you could have Stagecoach operating NSE etc....

3. Have a unified brand for the three above ie InterCity, Regional Railways and NSE but then operate it as it was prior to 1992

 

[LOL The Irony]

The same would apply to Regional Railways and NSE so instead of repainting every 5 years, there is a base livery which stays the same regardless much like Scotland does.

The DFT are now setting Franchise liveries so all the operator can do is add their logo. Examples: Northern & GWR.

 

[jimm]

The DFT are now setting Franchise liveries so all the operator can do is add their logo. Examples: Northern & GWR.

Whether or not there may now be an understanding that GWR green would survive under a new operator, its introduction had nothing to do with the DfT. It was entirely a First Group initiative.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Whether or not there may now be an understanding that GWR green would survive under a new operator, its introduction had nothing to do with the DfT. It was entirely a First Group initiative.

Well the branding is owned by the Government.